The Theatre of Dionysus[1] (or Theatre of Dionysos, Greek: Θέατρο του Διονύσου) is an ancient Greek theatre in Athens. It is built on the south slope of the Acropolis hill, originally part of the sanctuary of Dionysus Eleuthereus (Dionysus the Liberator[2]). The first orchestra terrace was constructed on the site around the mid- to late-sixth century BC, where it hosted the City Dionysia. The theatre reached its fullest extent in the fourth century BC under the epistates of Lycurgus when it would have had a capacity of up to 25,000,[3] and was in continuous use down to the Roman period. The theatre then fell into decay in the Byzantine era and was not identified,[4] excavated[5] and restored to its current condition until the nineteenth century.[6]
^Travlos, 1971, p.537
^C. Calame, Aetiological Performance and Consecration in Taplin and Wyles, The Pronomos Vase and Its Context Oxford, 2010, p.70, "As a simple aetiological hypothesis, one can imagine a threefold etymological pun on the epiklesis of the god to whom the satyric drama is dedicated: Dionysos Eleuthereus, Liberator of men who are free, coming from Eleutherai."
^Plato, Symposium 175e, if taken as a reference to the theatre suggests it could seat 30,000. Pickard-Cambridge, 1988, p.263 dismisses this and states "[a]s reconstructed by Lycurgus, the theatre can have held 14,000-17,000 spectators."
^First correctly located by R. Chandler in Travels in Greece Oxford, 1776. Identified as the Theatre of Bacchus.
^Christina Papastamati-von Moock, The Theatre of Dionysus Eleuthereus in Athens: New Data and Observations on its ‘Lycurgan’ Phase in Csapo et al, 2014, summarizes the archaeological literature p.16 n.2
^Archaeology began in earnest at the site with A. Rousopoulos in 1861. Arch. Ephm. 1862, pp.94-102
and 26 Related for: Theatre of Dionysus information
The TheatreofDionysus (or Theatreof Dionysos, Greek: Θέατρο του Διονύσου) is an ancient Greek theatre in Athens. It is built on the south slope of the...
theatre was institutionalised there as part of a festival called the Dionysia, which honoured the god Dionysus. Tragedy (late 500 BC), comedy (490 BC), and...
In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (/daɪ.əˈnaɪsəs/; Ancient Greek: Διόνυσος Dionysos) is the god of wine-making, orchards and fruit, vegetation...
support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols. The cult ofDionysus was strongly associated with satyrs, centaurs, and sileni, and its characteristic...
a list of ancient Greek theatres by location. TheatreofDionysus, Athens Theatreof Thorikos, East Attica Odeon of Athens, Athens Theatreof Zea, Piraeus...
seats at the TheatreofDionysus inscribed with names. Pergamene column at the Stoa of Eumenes. Choragic Monument of Thrasyllos. Temple of Asclepius. North...
Aristotle (384–322 BCE), the first theoretician oftheatre, are to be found in the festivals that honoured Dionysus. The performances were given in semi-circular...
Athenian colonies marched to the TheatreofDionysus on the southern slope of the Acropolis, carrying the wooden statue ofDionysus Eleuthereus, the "leading"...
festival proper, the cult-statue was removed from the temple near the theatreofDionysus and taken to a temple on the road to Eleutherae. That evening, after...
Artists ofDionysus or Dionysiac Artists (Ancient Greek: οἱ περὶ τὸν Διόνυσον τεχνιταί, romanized: hoi peri ton Dionuson technitai) were an association of actors...
Macedonia, at the court of Archelaus I of Macedon. It premiered posthumously at the TheatreofDionysus in 405 BC as part of a tetralogy that also included...
painting of the Battle of Marathon by Polygnotus, on the north side of the Agora. Theatres: the TheatreofDionysus, on the southeast slope of the Acropolis...
extension of the ancient rites carried out in honor of Dionysus, and it heavily influenced the theatreof Ancient Rome and the Renaissance. Tragic plots were...
to the entrance to the TheatreofDionysus. It was first built in 435 BC by Pericles for the musical contests that formed part of the Panathenaea, for audiences...
The Dionysus Sardanapalus is an uncommon Hellenistic-Roman Neo Attic sculpture-type of the god Dionysus, misnamed after the king Sardanapalus. Unlike...
sword of Damocles", an allusion to the imminent and ever-present peril faced by those in positions of power. Damocles was a courtier in the court of Dionysius...
organised a number of festivals and construction projects in honour of Claudius and Nero, including a new stage building in the TheatreofDionysus and a monumental...
seating section at the TheatreofDionysus was reserved for priesthoods of "Hestia on the Acropolis, Livia, and Julia", and of "Hestia Romain" ("Roman...
000 at the TheatreofDionysus. The day's program at the City Dionysia for example was crowded, with three tragedies and a satyr play ahead of a comedy...
love; Ares, God of war; Hermes, the god of commerce and travellers, Hephaestus, the god of fire and metalwork; and Dionysus, the god of wine and fruit-bearing...
Heracleides of Pontus asserts that the audience tried to stone Aeschylus. Aeschylus took refuge at the altar in the orchestra of the Theater ofDionysus. He pleaded...
Greek force crept out of the horse and opened the gates for the rest of the Greek army, which had sailed back under the cover of darkness. The Greeks entered...
distributed by the nymph named Ambrosia, a nurse ofDionysus. Ambrosia is very closely related to the gods' other form of sustenance, nectar. The two terms may not...
Dionysus' Argonautica Palaephatus (fourth century BC) 'On the Incredible' (Festa, N. (ed.) (1902) Mythographi Graeca III, 2, Lipsiae, p. 89 John of Antioch...
One of the earliest known ouroboros motifs is found in the Enigmatic Book of the Netherworld, an ancient Egyptian funerary text in KV62, the tomb of Tutankhamun...
Coat of arms of Irbit, Russia Coat of arms of Bengtsfors Municipality, Sweden Coat of arms of Balta, Ukraine Coat of arms of Berdychiv, Ukraine Coat of arms...